In a bid to debunk some of the stereotypes about farmers – both men and women – Farmers Weekly, in association with Wellington boot manufacturer Dunlop Protective Footwear, has launched a competition to find those worthy of this accolade.

It is a fun competition, but with a serious side. We want to show the wider world there’s a vibrant and exciting industry out there that is every bit as “sexy” as other trades or professions.

A recent report by Lantra found that the industry needs to attract 60,000 new entrants by the next decade. The competition will help show the wider world that that agriculture is an industry they can be proud to be part of.

The competition is open to anyone (all ages- you certainly don’t need to be young to be sexy) involved in the farming industry – either because they live or work on a farm or because they are employed in an allied industry.

There are male and a female categories and FW will come up with a shortlist of five contenders in each, before giving readers and website users the chance to vote for the ultimate winner in each.

The top man and top woman will each win £250, courtesy of Dunlop Protective Footwear, who will also provide a pair of their top of the range Purofort+ wellingtons to each of the shortlisted finalists.

People can either put themselves forward, or nominate someone they know – their other half, for example, or a relative, friend or neighbour.